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Thursday, January 23, 2014

Swedish FireSteel 2.0 Scout

Fire is one of the most essential elements of survival, so the means to start a fire is one of the most important components of your Bugout/EDC kit. It is also a good idea to have more than one method, because at some point, you will use up all of your matches and your lighter will run dry. A striking steel is an great alternative. It doesn't require fuel (other than tinder) and lasts for a long time.

The flint is 3 inches long and comes with a striker. The cord keeps everything together. The whole thing comes in at a tiny bit over an ounce; 28.7 grams. The "handle" of the striker also includes a built-in whistle:

This is a simple tool which works very well. It produces a shower of hot sparks that will light a cotton ball very quickly. It also feels solid and well-made. The manufacturer claims about 3000 strikes. It sells for about $15 and can be found at many online retailers. I got this one on eBay for $12.95.